H113 - 2021 AOC Legislative Changes Summary

• Increases Dispute Resolution Commission from 17 to 18 members and adds civil immunity protection for Commission members and employees.

• Requires courts in medical malpractice cases to provide juries written copies of jury instructions and establishes consistent judicial assignment procedures for such cases, effective October 1, 2021.

• Authorizes remote audio-video proceedings in all court types with safeguards for constitutional rights, confidentiality, and public access, while prohibiting video conferences in certain domestic violence and civil no-contact order hearings.

• Expands emergency superior court judge capacity to 25 judges and allows assignment of emergency judges to address case management issues created by the COVID-19 pandemic through July 1, 2022.

• Makes technical corrections to judgment collection procedures, jury pool sizing, Judicial Standards Commission operations, magistrate marriage solemnization authority, and mediated settlement agreement enforcement procedures.